Winter 2013

Brockton, other cities consider novel idea

ON THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 28, Brockton police arrested 51-year old Tyrone Hubbard and his two sons for trespassing in their own home. Fannie Mae, the federally chartered purchaser of mortgages, was foreclosing on Hubbard’s house and wanted him out. Trying in vain to make peace was City Councilor Jass Stewart, who had arrived to(...)

Lawrence Lessig says our democracy has become thoroughly corrupted by the moneyed interests. Until we fix that, he says, we won't be able to tackle any of the country's big challenges

“RICH” AND “POWERFUL” go together so naturally that they seem to be not just partners but synonyms. When it comes to the workings of our democracy, however, Lawrence Lessig says that bond has never been as tight as it is today. Wealth may always have a larger claim on power, but Lessig says money and(...)

Can operate until they die, retire

THE CITY OF BOSTON is slowly phasing out the street vendors around Fenway Park, claiming that the 18 small business people selling grilled chicken sandwiches, sausage sandwiches, peanuts, and baseball caps represent a safety concern. The vendors will be allowed to continue to operate until they die or retire, but their operating permits will not(...)

Team takes beating on field, box office

THERE WEREN’T MANY bright spots last year as the Univ­ersity of Massachusetts Amherst stepped up to the top level of college football, the Football Bowl Subdivision. The team went 1-11, playing in the Mid-America Athletic Conference, and was outscored by an average of 40-13. Even more disappointing was the lackluster attendance at the team’s(...)

New firm rents "star" trailers

A.J. BOLES HAD AN IDEA big enough to drive a truck through. Through his work on a number of films in Massachusetts, including Shutter Island, filmed at the former Medfield State Hospital, he knew that productions often had to go out of state to rent trucks and particularly trailers for their stars. He saw a(...)

Few questioned Annie Dookhan’s unbelievable output, perhaps because they were blinded by the war on drugs

One of the defendants affected by Annie Dookhan’s mishandling of drug lab tests seeks a later curfew before Special Magistrate Elizabeth Donovan. IT WAS THE SUMMER OF 2010. Robert Annunziata was in a car in Fall River with two other men when police pulled the vehicle over in front of Annunziata’s apartment and began asking(...)

John Rosenthal is active on gun control, homelessness, and the environment -- and in his spare time is a developer

JOHN ROSENTHAL’S BLACKBERRY lit up. Media requests poured in from NECN, WCVB, and WBUR. MSNBC wanted to talk. Even the Arabic-language network Al Jazeera found its way to his door. The crush of attention was not a pleasant development. News outlets call Rosenthal when terrible things happen, and a very terrible thing indeed had happened.(...)

The Boston Police Department may be paying the price for letting a program to help troubled cops lapse

Outside the Area C police station in the Fields Corner section of Dorchester. Photo by J. Cappuccio. ON APRIL 22, 2009, CHRISTOPHER KNIGHT and his girlfriend were driving in Boston when they got into a fender-bender. The couple called police after the other driver refused to exchange insurance information and Officer Gerald L. Cofield Jr.(...)

HALLOWEEN IS A WORKING HOLIDAY for Kim Driscoll, so she comes to City Hall as herself. Clad in a simple dark business suit, she meets up with Police Chief Paul Tucker at her office to head down to the Essex Street pedestrian mall to check in with police posted around the area. By the time(...)

Gov. Patrick builds a fast-growing industry with big subsidies

ON APRIL 17, 2007, Gov. Deval Patrick traveled to Marlborough to make two announcements. One was that Evergreen Solar was going to stay in Massa­chusetts and open a $150 million solar panel manufacturing plant. The other was a commitment to increase the state’s solar power generating capacity from 2 to 250 megawatts by 2017. The(...)